HB484, HD2: Mar. 19: The Committees on ENE and CPN deferred the measure.Requires PUC to establish community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs by no later than January 1, 2016, to allow more utility customers to participate in renewable energy production and use. Prohibits cost-shifting to non-participants. (HB484 HD2)

SB1050, SD2: Mar. 17: The committees on EEP recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 9 Ayes: Representative(s) C. Lee, Lowen, Cullen, Evans, Ing, Nishimoto, Yamane, Pouha, Thielen; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Say.Establishes the community-based renewable energy program, which allows the public utilities commission to establish a tariff that allows all electric utility customers to obtain an interest in a portion of an eligible renewable energy project that is providing electricity to the electric utility and receive compensation for the energy provided to the electric utility.

HB484, HD2: Hearing scheduled before the Senate ENE/CPN Committees on Thursday, Mar. 19, 3:30pm, Room 225.Requires PUC to establish community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs by no later than January 1, 2016, to allow more utility customers to participate in renewable energy production and use. Prohibits cost-shifting to non-participants.

SB1050, SD2: Hearing scheduled before the House EEP Committee on Tuesday, Mar. 17, 8:30am, Room 325. Establishes the community-based renewable energy program, which allows the public utilities commission to establish a tariff that allows all electric utility customers to obtain an interest in a portion of an eligible renewable energy project that is providing electricity to the electric utility and receive compensation for the energy provided to the electric utility.

Public Utilities Commission

Mar. 2, 2015 ORDER NO. 32695. Initiating proceedings; establishing standards of review, initial statement of issues, and initial procedures; and addressing intervention requests in the matter of the application of HECO, HELCO, MECO, and NextEra Energy for approval of the proposed change of control and related matters. See highlights from the order.

Feb. 27, 2015 Letter co-signed by PUC Chair Randy Iwase and Hawaiian Electric Co. CEO Alan Oshima "to address the present matter concerning residential interconnections and to avoid future unilateral action by the HECO Companies regarding the issuance of letters of general application relating to the denial or delay of interconnection of residential rooftop photovoltaic ("PV") systems to the grid..."

The following commentary was published in the Mar. 4 edition of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Mahalo to Blue Planet Board Members Gov. George Ariyoshi, Christine Camp, and Dr. Peter Crouch for sharing this vision.

Why Hawai‘i must strive for 100 percent renewables

By Gov. George Ariyoshi, Christine Camp, Dr. Peter Crouch

Under the state’s existing renewable energy laws, in 2031—around the time today’s pre-schoolers will graduate high school—the majority of our energy could still come from fossil fuels. We owe it to the kids growing up today, and the ones following them, to do better than that.

Climate reality is everywhere: eroding coastlines, dying coral reefs, droughts, floods, extreme weather. In Hawai‘i, big rains are bigger and more frequent, we’re getting less trade wind days, and we’ve recorded the hottest average high temperatures on record. Sea-level rise will soak Waikiki before the end of the century. Knowing that the single most important thing we can do about all this is to stop burning fossil fuels, will we commit today to securing hope for a stable climate tomorrow?

In 2008, theState of Hawai‘i and the Hawaiian Electric Companies acknowledged and agreed:

“The future of Hawai‘i requires that we move more decisively and irreversibly away from imported fossil fuel for electricity and transportation and towards indigenously produced renewable energy and an ethic of energy efficiency. The very future of our land, our economy and our quality of life is at risk if we do not make this move and we do so for the future of Hawai‘i and of the generations to come.”

With this declaration, they set the target of 40% renewable power by 2030. We can do better.

In 2014, Hawaiian Electric proposed to beat the 40% target with 65% renewable electricity by 2030. We can do even better.

The legislature is currently considering bills targeting 100% renewable electricity (SB 715, HB 623, HB 1512). We have the resources, the technology, and the will to achieve this target by 2040, if not sooner.

Elsewhere, 100% renewable goals are becoming a norm. The island nations of Iceland and Tokelau are already 100% renewably powered. Denmark has committed to 100% renewable heat and electricity by 2035. Scotland is targeting 100% renewable generation by 2020. U.S. cities including San Franciscoand San Jose have committed to 100% renewable power within the next decade.

In 2014, the Public Utilities Commission reported to the legislature that because of our renewable targets and related policies, there is “no doubt that Hawaii is further along the path to increased utilization of renewable and indigenous resources, reduction in use of imported petroleum fuels and diversifying its fuel portfolio.” The effectiveness of the target is apparent when you compare the greening of electricity with that of natural gas (which has no renewable targets). Today, Hawai‘i gets twice as much electricity from renewables as we did six years ago, but less than half the renewable natural gas that was produced in 2009.

Over the past decade, we’ve seen tremendous progress in clean energy technology and policies, as well as a rising tide of citizens intent on reversing climate change. With continued action in these areas—building on progress like advanced rooftop solar inverters to accommodate high solar penetration, an 80% drop in solar power module prices since 2008, a strong barrel tax and greenhouse gas laws, solar hot water on every new home, low-cost green financing, and a movement to divest our university’s investments of fossil fuel companies—Hawai‘i is leading the way.

Noted business author Joel A. Barker has said, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” We must pass legislation that can steer us to our goal of 100% renewable power. By marrying our actions with this vision, we can change Hawai‘i and the world.

SB715 SD1: CPN Hearing, Wednesday, 3/4 at 10am, Room 229. SUBMIT TESTIMONY ONLINE. Defines "large self-generator". Increases renewable portfolio standards to seventy per cent by 12/31/2035 and one hundred per cent by 12/31/2040, unless the acquisition of renewable energy is not beneficial to Hawaii's economy. Establishes renewable standards for new large self-generators. Subjects new large self-generators to applicable renewable standards. Clarifies and establishes events or circumstances that are outside of an electric company's or new large self-generator's reasonable control. Establishes new large self-generator reporting requirements to the public utilities commission. Requires the public utilities commission to report on cost-effectiveness of renewable portfolio standards to address the impact on renewable energy developer energy prices.

HB1512 HD2: Referred to FIN. Waiting for hearing to be scheduled. Establishes performance-based regulation of electric utility companies by the Public Utilities Commission.

SB1050, SD1: Feb. 27: The committees on WAM recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 9 Aye(s): Senator(s) Tokuda, Kouchi, Dela Cruz, English, Galuteria, Harimoto, Riviere, Slom; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Inouye ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Chun Oakland, Ruderman. Establishes the community-based renewable energy program, which allows the public utilities commission to establish a tariff that allows all electric utility customers to obtain an interest in a portion of an eligible renewable energy project that is providing electricity to the electric utility and receive compensation for the energy provided to the electric utility.

Public Utilities Commission

Mar. 2, 2015 ORDER NO. 32695. Initiating proceedings; establishing standards of review, initial statement of issues, and initial procedures; and addressing intervention requests in the matter of the application of HECO, HELCO, MECO, and NextEra Energy for approval of the proposed change of control and related matters. See highlights from the order.

Feb. 27, 2015 Letter co-signed by PUC Chair Randy Iwase and Hawaiian Electric Co. CEO Alan Oshima "to address the present matter concerning residential interconnections and to avoid future unilateral action by the HECO Companies regarding the issuance of letters of general application relating to the denial or delay of interconnection of residential rooftop photovoltaic ("PV") systems to the grid..."

Legislative Update

HB484, HD2: FIN Hearing, Tuesday, 3/3 at 1:30pm, Room 308. Requires PUC to establish community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs by no later than January 1, 2016, to allow more utility customers to participate in renewable energy production and use. Prohibits cost-shifting to non-participants.

SB1050, SD1: WAM Hearing, Friday 2/27 at 1pm, Room 211: PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in WAM were as follows: 9 Aye(s): Senator(s) Tokuda, Kouchi, Dela Cruz, English, Galuteria, Harimoto, Riviere, Slom; Aye(s) with reservations: Senator(s) Inouye ; 0 No(es): none; and 2 Excused: Senator(s) Chun Oakland, Ruderman. Establishes the community-based renewable energy program, which allows the public utilities commission to establish a tariff that allows all electric utility customers to obtain an interest in a portion of an eligible renewable energy project that is providing electricity to the electric utility and receive compensation for the energy provided to the electric utility.

SB715 SD1: CPN Hearing, Wednesday, 3/4 at 10am, Room 229. SUBMIT TESTIMONY ONLINE. Defines "large self-generator". Increases renewable portfolio standards to seventy per cent by 12/31/2035 and one hundred per cent by 12/31/2040, unless the acquisition of renewable energy is not beneficial to Hawaii's economy. Establishes renewable standards for new large self-generators. Subjects new large self-generators to applicable renewable standards. Clarifies and establishes events or circumstances that are outside of an electric company's or new large self-generator's reasonable control. Establishes new large self-generator reporting requirements to the public utilities commission. Requires the public utilities commission to report on cost-effectiveness of renewable portfolio standards to address the impact on renewable energy developer energy prices.

HB1512 HD2: Referred to FIN. Waiting for hearing to be scheduled. Establishes performance-based regulation of electric utility companies by the Public Utilities Commission.

Legislative Hearings

Establishes the community-based renewable energy program, which allows the public utilities commission to establish a tariff that allows all electric utility customers to obtain an interest in a portion of an eligible renewable energy project that is providing electricity to the electric utility and receive compensation for the energy provided to the electric utility.

Legislative Hearings

100% Renewable by 2040

Defines "large self-generator". Increases renewable portfolio standards to 70 per cent by 12/31/2035 and 100 per cent by 12/31/2040, unless the acquisition of renewable energy is not beneficial to Hawaii's economy. Establishes renewable standards for large self-generators. Subjects large self-generators to applicable renewable standards. Clarifies and establishes events or circumstances that are outside of an electric company's or large self-generator's reasonable control. Establishes large self-generator reporting requirements to the public utilities commission. Requires the public utilities commission to report on cost-effectiveness of renewable portfolio standards to address the impact on renewable energy developer energy prices.

Defines "large self-generator". Increases renewable portfolio standards to 70 per cent by 12/31/2035 and 100 per cent by 12/31/2040, unless the acquisition of renewable energy is not beneficial to Hawaii's economy. Establishes renewable standards for large self-generators. Subjects large self-generators to applicable renewable standards. Clarifies and establishes events or circumstances that are outside of an electric company's or large self-generator's reasonable control. Establishes large self-generator reporting requirements to the public utilities commission. Requires the public utilities commission to report on cost-effectiveness of renewable portfolio standards to address the impact on renewable energy developer energy prices.

Community Solar

Requires PUC to establish community-based renewable energy tariff or tariffs to take effect by 1/1/16. Defines community-based renewable energy tariffs. Provides that projects up to one megawatt are subject to PUC-approved interconnection processes and projects greater than one megawatt are subject to PUC review and approval.